US SB3708

Amends the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to extend federal mineral leasing authority to hardrock minerals on acquired federal lands

Defines "hardrock minerals" to include minerals in sedimentary or other rocks, base metals, precious metals, industrial metals, and precious and semi-precious gemstones

Excludes coal, oil, oil shale, gas, sodium, potassium, sulfur, and common mineral materials from the hardrock mineral definition

Reorganizes and reformats existing definitions in the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands into numbered paragraphs for clarity

Introduced by Senator Cotton on January 28, 2026, and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources